When OS go Mountain Lion first look , many old stager iChat drug user fired up the novel Messages chat programme , poked around a bit , and then discontinue it in desperation . Eventually , some of us relaunched it and began to slog around in it , figuring out how to expend the raw app to do what we wanted to do , but still we felt a bit preoccupied .
If that sounds familiar to you , perhaps I can help . Now that I ’ve addle through Messages more thoroughly , I think I can offer steering on how to make the switch from iChat to Messages , for people who still have n’t made the switching .
Whither the buddy list?
The first thing you need to understand is that message has pushed the old , intimate buddy tilt — iChat ’s primary user interface — far into the screen background . That ’s because Apple ’s iMessage service — for which Messages is in the first place designed — relies on information in your Contacts app alternatively of its own lean of “ sidekick ” to find the masses you want to chat with .
But while Messages makes sidekick lists less important , it ca n’t eradicate them completely , because the third - party chat services that Messages works with — including AOL Instant Messenger ( AIM)—depend on these lists to manage approved chat partner . To approach lists in Messages , go toWindow > Buddiesor press Command-1 , Command-2 , and so away .
In iChat , you could choose to have private buddy listing for every account at every religious service , or you could use the amalgamated Buddies list to put everybody in one place . That ’s still possible in Messages : Go toMessages > penchant , clickGeneral , and checkShow All My Accounts in One List .
Messages also lets you set one status message for all of your accounts or create a different message for each . From the status area in the lower - left corner of the main Messages windowpane , snap the little triangle next to your current status message and selectUse Same Status for All Accounts(if you require the same message for all accounts ) or deselect it and then set single subject matter .
Conversation starters
In iChat , if you wanted to start out a text , audio recording , or video confabulation , or a CRT screen - communion session , you would choose one or more buddies ( depending on the service and its abilities ) . Then ( depending on what you need to do ) you would snap , right - click , or choose a carte du jour to proceed . For instance , you would the right way - penetrate an AIM buddy and selectInvite to Video Chatto begin a telecasting session .
In Messages , your first step is always the same : Click theNew Conversationbutton ( in the upper left wing , just to the right of the Search field ) and then type a name in the To field of operations .
As you do so , message show all of the people on your list who pit what you ’ve typed so far ; some of them show up multiple times , depending on the number of different ways message can reach them . Select an invoice entry from the listing , and the name shows up as a item in the To field while the service name appears as grayed - out text in the message - debut playing area at the bottom of the window .
You ’re then liberal to type a message , and press Return ( or Enter ) to send it . Or you may change your judgement and send it to that individual on a unlike bill : get across the flatten - down arrow ( not the name ) of the contact in the To list to reveal the earphone number and e-mail addresses read with iMessage for that contact . ( Numbers and addresses that work with iMessage get a blue icon . ) That same menu also shows you the contact ’s position ( represented by a green , yellow , or red ball ) on other divine service that you ’re presently logged in to . This arranging allows you to pick out how to reach out to the soul without circling back to a buddy leaning first .
It also supports seamless conversation at a level that iChat never did . For instance , let ’s say that I start talk to Bob via AIM . He leaves his office , and answer to me using iMessage from his speech sound . That response register up as part of the same conversation ( as Messages dubs these threads ) . At plate , he signs into Google Talk ( he ’s a chatty cat ) , and Messages change to that service . I ’ll acknowledge that he ’s made the switch because a dividing line will come out in the scroll vertical chat transcript , identifying the service change along with its prison term and appointment .
Sound and vision
audio frequency and video recording chats and filmdom communion can be hard to get in Messages . This alteration has cross more masses I bonk than almost anything else in Messages . They want to habituate the Messages window , but when it come to initiating an audio or video chat , they go back to the familiar old pal list because they do n’t make love how else to proceed .
Here ’s what I order them : After selecting a contact in the master Messages widow , await up at the far right of the To field for a video ikon . snap that and you ’ll get a drop - down menu ; for every alive account link up with the selected contact , you may choose FaceTime , Audio , or Video , or elect to portion out your screen door or expect to share theirs .
SelectFaceTime , and Messages will launch the separate FaceTime app , and then endeavor to get down a telecasting chat using the contact method you ’ve chosen — iPhone phone number , say , or e-mail speech . ChooseAudioorVideo , and message will use the familiar multimedia system chat tool , in an interface very much like iChat ’s .
This method work only for one - on - one chats . FaceTime limits you to picture - New World chat with one political party on the other end . But if you require to start an audio schmoose ( with up to nine other people ) or a video chat ( with up to three others ) , you have to pick out them via the erstwhile brother list and then choose eitherInvite to Video ChatorInvite to Audio Chat , as appropriate .
Once you have a chat underway , take a look at the Messages window . In iChat , we had to make do with a floating windowpane that handled multiple conversation but provided relatively little information about each . The Messages window takes the estimation of conversations more seriously . The Conversations list at left-hand shows active and previous chat , and a snippet of the last substance typed , whether the lecture pass off via iMessage , Bonjour , or an instant - message table service .
In fact , substance does n’t incorporate the construct of ending a chat . As long as an ingress be in the Conversations list , you may resume it at any time . Just tick the entry , commence typing , and the conversation will resume if the other party is on-line ( in the case of instantaneous messaging ) or useable ( with iMessage ) . conversation also double as what were known in iChat astranscripts .
Theater fans
One last affair that some iChat user may be scratching their drumhead about : Where did iChat Theater go ? Many the great unwashed never touched that feature ( which allows users to push video of themselves and a presentation , document , exposure , or webpage to a remote video - confabulation buddy ) , while others love it . ( I ’m in the latter group , and I ’ve given user - group presentations by this substance . )
Apple did n’t down iChat Theater : you could initiate the feature after you start up a standard video New World chat using AIM , Bonjour , or Google Talk . In the video recording window , click the positive ( + ) clitoris , and the four Theater options will come along . you may also tangle file into a TV windowpane , and the split - pane dotted rectangles that iChat offered for reassign a file or part a Theater presentation remain available . In my testing , iPhoto and individual file work just okay with Theater , but Keynote 09 did n’t .
The bottom line is that Messages is an dental amalgam of iChat and an all Modern app ; as such , it has a learning curve . But once you ’ve figured out where all the moving part are , Messages has much to recommend it . It just takes some practice .
